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Joe Bonomo

Winner for the 16-18 category

"The greatest part of the competition, for me, was designing a place that would strengthen the community, whilst enhancing the surrounding environment."

Joe Bonomo (aged 16) from The John Warner School, Hertfordshire

Observations of Hoddesdon

Hoddesdon is located 30minutes north of London, containing a mixture of modern and historic buildings due to unsuccessful planning. Hoddesdon should be a town that is connected to the countryside with an urban feel, which I plan to improve through a green design. Hoddesdon faces the issue of a dormitory town, where house prices have increased by 2.11% this year. The current local plans for a garden village situated in the Spitalbrook Valley will ease the housing shortage with many detached country-style houses that will connect with the surrounding Greenbelt land. Spitalbrook Community is a modern, renewable, residential complex.

Information the Spitalbrook Community

Spitalbrook Community is a vibrant complex, acting as a hub and built using prefabricated construction and clad in reclaimed brick and white plaster, whilst the curved roofs add the much-needed modern touch. The exterior is lined with trees and wildflowers, creating a greener environment and enhancing the senses of the disabled, whilst the curvy path is fun for younger kids, improving the local standard of living. The 16 residences will be mixed tenure and 40% will be affordable housing, to help ease the housing shortage. My design will strengthen the community and reduce the risk of a dormitory town.

Creating Jobs

The Complex creates jobs through the Community Café and Gardens, just a short walk from the town centre and improving the Quality of Life in the area. The design allows residents to grow their own produce, with the aid of fresh compost, which will help them understand their consumption. Turbine Street Lights provides a renewable form of lighting with advertising of local events.

The Energy Centre

The Energy Centre provides specialists jobs for the local area and produces zero emissions with Solar Panels on all roofs. Each residence also has a car charging parking space and locked Cycle storage, which encourages cycling to work to help reduce local traffic.

Eco- friendly ideas

Each residence is packed with the latest technology to save energy and costs. Smart Meters allow the tracking of energy consumption, helping residents to save money. Ventilation with heat recovery saves energy on heating. Clean water is provided with first flush diverters and downspout screens with a tank, providing future water security, whilst ozone air purifiers provide pathogen free air.